Although this is a spoiler-free review, it's long, so the rest of the post is hidden beneath the cut.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Book Review: The Demon's Covenant (Spoiler-free)
Although this is a spoiler-free review, it's long, so the rest of the post is hidden beneath the cut.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
National Library Week
Happy National Library Week!
I told you I'd post soon, didn't I? In order to celebrate National Library Week, I decided to go visit my local library and take out a ton of books. Normally, I'd just call that a Tuesday night, but because it is National Library Week, I'm going to make a big deal of it and show you the books I borrowed.
You'll notice a theme here. I was feeling mystery today.
Heat Rises by Richard Castle
Murder Past Due and Tome of Death by D. R. Meredith
The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn
I wish I could say I went home and started reading these immediately, but it is impossible to read and blog at the same time. Blogging and watching the 1997 version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella starring Brandy, that I can handle no problem :D*
If you didn't know it was National Library Week, go celebrate somehow! I recommend visiting you local library and picking out a few books ;)**
Happy reading,
Katie
*when did I start using emoticons in my blog?
**today, apparently
I told you I'd post soon, didn't I? In order to celebrate National Library Week, I decided to go visit my local library and take out a ton of books. Normally, I'd just call that a Tuesday night, but because it is National Library Week, I'm going to make a big deal of it and show you the books I borrowed.
You'll notice a theme here. I was feeling mystery today.
Heat Rises by Richard Castle
Murder Past Due and Tome of Death by D. R. Meredith
The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn
I wish I could say I went home and started reading these immediately, but it is impossible to read and blog at the same time. Blogging and watching the 1997 version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella starring Brandy, that I can handle no problem :D*
If you didn't know it was National Library Week, go celebrate somehow! I recommend visiting you local library and picking out a few books ;)**
Happy reading,
Katie
*when did I start using emoticons in my blog?
**today, apparently
Book Ramblings: The Madness Underneath (Spoilers!)
Anyway, back to the book! Today I'm talking about Maureen Johnson's newest book, The Madness Underneath, the second book in the Shades of London series, and if you missed the warning in the title, this one has spoilers. I've hide the spoilery text below the cut, so just click on the "Read more" link below if you've already read the book (or want to be spoiled, I won't judge).
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Book Review: The Madness Underneath (Spoiler-free)
I've got a bad habit of accidentally giving away spoilers for TV shows and other forms of entertainment, and I have a lot of feelings about this book in particular that I can't talk about without spoiling everything. So if you have read this book and would like to hear my thoughts on the contents within, I will write an in-depth review/book talk post with spoilers later.
If you have NOT read this book yet, never fear! This review is spoiler free.
I found this book to be very surprising. A lot of things happened that I didn't expect, or turned out differently than I expected. While this turned out to be rather low on action, it was far from slow paced.
I had trouble putting it down, and I read it cover to cover within 2 days. Considering I've been at the halfway point of 4 other books for the last month or two, this was impressive.
However, I must address the fact that this book is not very similar to the first book in the series, The Name of the Star. The Name of the Star was a ghost murder mystery, and while there were some loose ends, it stood well on its own and could have ended there if need be. The Madness Underneath is not another independent installment of the story, it is an introduction setting up the 'big' mystery that will be explored in books 3 and 4. While I understand why this was done this way, I still would have liked more action and less set-up from a second book in a series. I would have preferred if the series had been plotted so that the first book had more of the set-up for the big plot arc, instead of the first book charging ahead at full steam with its own self-contained plot arc, just to hit the brakes come book 2.
I gave this book 4 stars because I really enjoyed Maureen Johnson's writing style, and despite my complaints, I am really excited for the rest of the series. I had been on the fence about owning this series, and finishing this book is what prompted me to go out and buy the first one. I can tell I will be re-reading the series in the future.
You can read my more in-depth review at Goodreads (goodreads.com/ishipmeandbooks), and my spoiler-filled review will be posted later this week.
Happy reading,
Katie
You can read my more in-depth review at Goodreads (goodreads.com/ishipmeandbooks), and my spoiler-filled review will be posted later this week.
Happy reading,
Katie
Sunday, March 31, 2013
March Book Haul
April starts tomorrow, and since I'll be spending the rest of today with my family celebrating Easter, I think my March book buying is done. Which means it's time for my first ever book haul post!
As this is the only book haul post I have done, you'll have to take my word for it that I don't normally buy this many books in a month. But Half Price Books had a week-long sale, and my friend introduced me to the huge Half Price Books near her house, and I am a weak, weak person when it comes to shiny, pretty books.
The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, and The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
I've heard a lot of good reviews of this series from several bookTubers, so when I saw these at my local HPB for $1 a piece, I had to give them a try. I've already started The Iron King, and though I am a little disappointed in the writing style so far, I do intend to finish it and read the rest of the series.
Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
I bought A Great and Terrible Beauty at my local HPB earlier this year, and though I still haven't gotten around to reading it, seeing the sequel for $2 was too good to pass up.
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
Yes, this is the third book in the series, and no, I haven't read books 1+2 yet. I told you, I have a problem. Interestingly enough, I could only find this book in paperback, while I could only find books 1 and 2 in hardcover. I prefer my books in paperback, and I already bought books 1 and 2 for my friend for her birthday, so I didn't feel like buying them a second time. So yeah, that's my excuse for buying a book I can't even read yet.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
I'm trying to read more classics, and this is one of the many books most people read in high school that was left off of my courses' reading list. I found it in the clearance section, and I couldn't resist. I probably won't get to this one until the end of the year, I'd like to save it for October for my Halloween-themed reads.
A Wind in the Door by Madeline L'Engle
I am such a big fan of A Wrinkle in Time, but I haven't read any of the sequels yet. In addition to blogging (and hopefully vlogging soon) about books, I'm more actively recommending books for my friends and family. I think my brother would like A Wrinkle in Time, but I want to read the whole series so we can get excited about it together.
Falcondance by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
I love Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. She is the reason I've loved vampires long before Twilight was a thing. I started this book in high school and something turned me off of it and I never picked it up again. I found it for 50 cents (50 cents! I think that is the cheapest I have ever gotten a book, other than for free).
House Rules, My Sister's Keeper, and The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult was once my favorite author, and though some of her plots have bumped her out of that placement, she has one of the best writing styles of anyone I've ever read. I've already read My Sister's Keeper, but it is my favorite book by her, and I wanted a copy to highlight. I read the first chapter of House Rules and The Storyteller online, and I can't wait to read the rest of them. I actually got a new copy of The Storyteller at Barnes and Noble because I am so excited for it.
Another classic I've been meaning to read. I also have this on my Kindle and am in chapter 12, but I really want to have a physical version to highlight. I love the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and I can't wait to finish this book and watch the series again.
Never Let Me Go by Kasuo Ishiguro
I was so excited for this movie, but I wanted to read the book before seeing it. Cut to a few years later, and I still haven't read it. But I found it in the clearance section (clearance sections are another one of my weaknesses, in case you couldn't tell) and I had to pick it up.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
I already have this book technically, but the one series that I share with my four siblings isn't going to last us for long. I've already found books 4, 6, and 7 for cheap last year, and my sisters bought me the UK versions of books 1 and 2, so all I need is book 3 for my personal set to be complete.
Well, that is it for this month. I'm so excited about all the pretty books for me to enjoy! Of course, I will be going on a book buying ban now to combat this, but it is so worth it. I'll be back soon with some more book talk!
Happy reading,
Katie
As this is the only book haul post I have done, you'll have to take my word for it that I don't normally buy this many books in a month. But Half Price Books had a week-long sale, and my friend introduced me to the huge Half Price Books near her house, and I am a weak, weak person when it comes to shiny, pretty books.
The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, and The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
I've heard a lot of good reviews of this series from several bookTubers, so when I saw these at my local HPB for $1 a piece, I had to give them a try. I've already started The Iron King, and though I am a little disappointed in the writing style so far, I do intend to finish it and read the rest of the series.
Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
I bought A Great and Terrible Beauty at my local HPB earlier this year, and though I still haven't gotten around to reading it, seeing the sequel for $2 was too good to pass up.
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
Yes, this is the third book in the series, and no, I haven't read books 1+2 yet. I told you, I have a problem. Interestingly enough, I could only find this book in paperback, while I could only find books 1 and 2 in hardcover. I prefer my books in paperback, and I already bought books 1 and 2 for my friend for her birthday, so I didn't feel like buying them a second time. So yeah, that's my excuse for buying a book I can't even read yet.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
I'm trying to read more classics, and this is one of the many books most people read in high school that was left off of my courses' reading list. I found it in the clearance section, and I couldn't resist. I probably won't get to this one until the end of the year, I'd like to save it for October for my Halloween-themed reads.
A Wind in the Door by Madeline L'Engle
I am such a big fan of A Wrinkle in Time, but I haven't read any of the sequels yet. In addition to blogging (and hopefully vlogging soon) about books, I'm more actively recommending books for my friends and family. I think my brother would like A Wrinkle in Time, but I want to read the whole series so we can get excited about it together.
Falcondance by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
I love Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. She is the reason I've loved vampires long before Twilight was a thing. I started this book in high school and something turned me off of it and I never picked it up again. I found it for 50 cents (50 cents! I think that is the cheapest I have ever gotten a book, other than for free).
House Rules, My Sister's Keeper, and The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult was once my favorite author, and though some of her plots have bumped her out of that placement, she has one of the best writing styles of anyone I've ever read. I've already read My Sister's Keeper, but it is my favorite book by her, and I wanted a copy to highlight. I read the first chapter of House Rules and The Storyteller online, and I can't wait to read the rest of them. I actually got a new copy of The Storyteller at Barnes and Noble because I am so excited for it.
Mirror Mirror and Lost by Gregory Maguire
Gregory Maguire writes retellings of fairy tales, which I am obsessed with, so obviously I have to keep checking these out. I'm also listening to the audiobook of Mirror, Mirror, and I'll be writing a review of it once I finish it.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane AustenGregory Maguire writes retellings of fairy tales, which I am obsessed with, so obviously I have to keep checking these out. I'm also listening to the audiobook of Mirror, Mirror, and I'll be writing a review of it once I finish it.
Another classic I've been meaning to read. I also have this on my Kindle and am in chapter 12, but I really want to have a physical version to highlight. I love the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and I can't wait to finish this book and watch the series again.
Never Let Me Go by Kasuo Ishiguro
I was so excited for this movie, but I wanted to read the book before seeing it. Cut to a few years later, and I still haven't read it. But I found it in the clearance section (clearance sections are another one of my weaknesses, in case you couldn't tell) and I had to pick it up.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
I already have this book technically, but the one series that I share with my four siblings isn't going to last us for long. I've already found books 4, 6, and 7 for cheap last year, and my sisters bought me the UK versions of books 1 and 2, so all I need is book 3 for my personal set to be complete.
Well, that is it for this month. I'm so excited about all the pretty books for me to enjoy! Of course, I will be going on a book buying ban now to combat this, but it is so worth it. I'll be back soon with some more book talk!
Happy reading,
Katie
Monday, March 18, 2013
Book Guilt
I've been an avid reader my entire life. Most of my favorite birthday and christmas presents have been books, my favorite places in the world include my local library and bookstores, and long before people were getting into accidents from texting while walking, I was hurting myself and others from reading while walking.* I used to read often enough to prevent my personal bookshelf TBR pile from ever getting out of hand and still be able to regularly go to the library to support my reading addiction.
Then I went to college, and 3 contributing factors lead to my ultimate downfall and the vast pile of book guilt in which I currently reside.
Factor 1: I stopped reading as much. I still read a lot, but I often had to ban myself from fun reading in order to focus on exams or class reading.
Factor 2: I got a job, which meant I suddenly had a steady albeit tiny income.
Factor 3: School bookstore sales.
I never really had a chance. Every summer, I would put a big dent into my TBR pile, and from September to May I'd multiply my list by 4.
So here I am, almost a year after finishing graduate school, and I still have a huge freaking pile of books to read. I have so much book guilt, I've actually sorted them into categories.
Neglected required reading from high school
1. The Tempest by William Shakespeare
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
3. The Storyteller by Mario by Mario Vargas Llosa
4. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
5. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Recommended reading from friends
6. Zodiac by Neal Stephenson
7. Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Books I started reading but never finished
8. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
9. A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
Books I 'borrowed' from my family members
10. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
11. Angela's Ashes by Frank Court
12. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
13. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
14. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
15. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
16. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Sequels to books I've read
17. Absolute Midnight by Clive Barker (sequel to Abarat and Days of Magic, Nights of War)
18. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
19. Tommy Nightmare by J.L. Bryan
20. Bartimaeous: The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud (prequel to the Bartimaeous Trilogy)
21. Extras by Scott Westerfeld (sequel to Uglies, Pretties, and Specials)
22. Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
23. Eric by Terry Pratchett
24. Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire (sequel to Wicked)
Splurges from Barnes and Noble
25. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
26. Paper Towns by John Green
Cheap books from bookstore sales/ Printer's Row
27. The Silmarilion by J.R.R. Tolkien
28. Solaris by Stanislew Lem
29. The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
30. Othello by William Shakespeare
31. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
32. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
33. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
34. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
35. Treasure Island by Robert Stevenson
36. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
37. Passenger to Frankfurt by Agatha Christie
38. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Gifts
39. The Tolkien Reader by J.R.R. Tolkien
40. The Mask and the Sorceress by Dennis Jones
Free Kindle classics
41. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
42. Dracula by Bram Stoker
43. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
44. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
45. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
46. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hoob by Howard Pyle
47. Villette by Charlotte Bronte
48. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
49. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
50. Emma by Jane Austen
51. Persuasion by Jane Austen
52. The Secret Garden by Jane Austen
53. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
54. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
55. The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe
56. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
57. Once a Week by A.A. Milne
57 books, people.
And these are only the books I own (and have purchased before March, I'm going to do a book haul at the end of the month). I have an even longer list of books to borrow from the library or to eventually buy. Even worse, though I am reading more than I did in college, I am still not reading fast or often enough to put a dent in this pile. Last year, I made a concerted effort to read 30 books, and I only made it to 27.
Hence this book blog. I am hoping to use this as a way to keep track of my reading and book buying patterns, and to do reviews of all the books I read this year in addition to doing general book discussions about whatever books are on my mind. I won't make any promises to how often I will post yet, but I am excited for the year!
Happy reading,
Katie
*Not an exaggeration. I once stepped on my mom while simultaneously reading and walking down the stairs.
Then I went to college, and 3 contributing factors lead to my ultimate downfall and the vast pile of book guilt in which I currently reside.
Factor 1: I stopped reading as much. I still read a lot, but I often had to ban myself from fun reading in order to focus on exams or class reading.
Factor 2: I got a job, which meant I suddenly had a steady albeit tiny income.
Factor 3: School bookstore sales.
I never really had a chance. Every summer, I would put a big dent into my TBR pile, and from September to May I'd multiply my list by 4.
So here I am, almost a year after finishing graduate school, and I still have a huge freaking pile of books to read. I have so much book guilt, I've actually sorted them into categories.
Neglected required reading from high school
1. The Tempest by William Shakespeare
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
3. The Storyteller by Mario by Mario Vargas Llosa
4. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
5. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Recommended reading from friends
6. Zodiac by Neal Stephenson
7. Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Books I started reading but never finished
8. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
9. A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
Books I 'borrowed' from my family members
10. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
11. Angela's Ashes by Frank Court
12. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
13. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
14. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
15. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
16. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Sequels to books I've read
17. Absolute Midnight by Clive Barker (sequel to Abarat and Days of Magic, Nights of War)
18. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
19. Tommy Nightmare by J.L. Bryan
20. Bartimaeous: The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud (prequel to the Bartimaeous Trilogy)
21. Extras by Scott Westerfeld (sequel to Uglies, Pretties, and Specials)
22. Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
23. Eric by Terry Pratchett
24. Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire (sequel to Wicked)
Splurges from Barnes and Noble
25. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
26. Paper Towns by John Green
Cheap books from bookstore sales/ Printer's Row
27. The Silmarilion by J.R.R. Tolkien
28. Solaris by Stanislew Lem
29. The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
30. Othello by William Shakespeare
31. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
32. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
33. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
34. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
35. Treasure Island by Robert Stevenson
36. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
37. Passenger to Frankfurt by Agatha Christie
38. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Gifts
39. The Tolkien Reader by J.R.R. Tolkien
40. The Mask and the Sorceress by Dennis Jones
Free Kindle classics
41. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
42. Dracula by Bram Stoker
43. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
44. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
45. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
46. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hoob by Howard Pyle
47. Villette by Charlotte Bronte
48. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
49. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
50. Emma by Jane Austen
51. Persuasion by Jane Austen
52. The Secret Garden by Jane Austen
53. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
54. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
55. The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe
56. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
57. Once a Week by A.A. Milne
57 books, people.
And these are only the books I own (and have purchased before March, I'm going to do a book haul at the end of the month). I have an even longer list of books to borrow from the library or to eventually buy. Even worse, though I am reading more than I did in college, I am still not reading fast or often enough to put a dent in this pile. Last year, I made a concerted effort to read 30 books, and I only made it to 27.
Hence this book blog. I am hoping to use this as a way to keep track of my reading and book buying patterns, and to do reviews of all the books I read this year in addition to doing general book discussions about whatever books are on my mind. I won't make any promises to how often I will post yet, but I am excited for the year!
Happy reading,
Katie
*Not an exaggeration. I once stepped on my mom while simultaneously reading and walking down the stairs.
Note: This post is a written response to the following video Kristina Horner posted on YouTube two months ago about book guilt.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
An introduction
Hello and welcome to my new blog on books and reading! I'm Katie, and I'll be using this blog to do book reviews, lament my book guilt, and share my thoughts on some of the many books I've read.
I would like to create a YouTube channel as well so I can post book hauls, bookshelf tours, and other reviews and thoughts, but I think I'll see how blogging goes before getting too ahead of myself.
A real post will be coming at you shortly, but for now, have a great day!
I would like to create a YouTube channel as well so I can post book hauls, bookshelf tours, and other reviews and thoughts, but I think I'll see how blogging goes before getting too ahead of myself.
A real post will be coming at you shortly, but for now, have a great day!
Happy reading,
Katie
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